Kerry Grace is the conference founder and producer

Kerry Grace is known for her authentic approach and ability to get things done in communities.

A passionate regional Australian she learned from a very young age that many skills are required to enable the social change she is passionate about, the most important one being the ability to build trust.

Like many entrepreneurs Kerry is multi-skilled and while her skills may broadly be defined as community and economic development, writing and community advisory, through her decades in the workforce she has honed a unique mix of practical skills, connections, deep understanding and abilities which make her a sought after person for facilitation, MC and community advisory services.

Kerry works with clients at every level of government, not for profits, Aboriginal Corporations and Corporates.

At the heart of her work she thoroughly believes in healthy and sustainable regional communities. The methodologies surrounding the delivery of this goal vary.

Experienced working in the trauma informed space and family research with a demonstrated history of working with individuals and family services industry. Skilled in Social Policy, Change Management, Leadership Development, Community Development, Engaging with Government, Culture & Heritage, Building Community Capacity and Program Management.

Working with both large national and grassroots community non-profits, Deb has gained extensive experience engaging stakeholders through meaningful partnerships, inspiring significant philanthropic support, developing and delivering highly effective and innovative programs and projects, and empowering successful teams, boards, donors and volunteers to achieve high impact outcomes.

Deb’s work is motivated by a deep commitment to social justice and the opportunity to connect game-changing social impact ideas with inspired solutions that lead to life-changing outcomes for young people and communities.

Jesse is a dynamic, accountable leader with 20 years of cross-sector experience on the regional, state and federal levels in Australia and the USA. He has built high performing teams leveraging his expertise in leadership and management, coopetition (cooperative competition), relationship management, mergers, service design, evaluation and monitoring and scaling, finance, grants and fundraising, community development and corporate and clinical governance. Qualified with a Masters of Public Health from the University of Sydney and a Bachelors of Philosophy and Counselling, Jesse is a Senior Fellow of the United Way NYC’s Leadership Institute in the Masters of Public Administration program at CUNY, NYC.

Sue has over 40 years’ experience in a range of community care and health settings and has been with Blue Sky Community Services since 2010. Sue holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences, a Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment, an Advanced Diploma of Management: Social Enterprise. She is also a School for Social Entrepreneurs Australian Fellow and has completed the Challenge Of Leadership course through Leadership Management Australia (LMA). Sue has a passion for the principles of social justice and is a strong proponent of working collaboratively and in partnerships with communities and services within a strengths-based and inclusive model of practice. Sue is currently the Program Manager for the Families, Young People and Communities team and is based at the Groundworks Youth Centre.

With over 30 years of experience in culturally diverse community engagement, PR, and communications, Angela has a proven track record of successfully leading teams and delivering impactful programs that drive social impact.

Angela thrives in stakeholder engagement and strategic planning. Her expertise lies in fostering collaboration and partnerships between organisations, government agencies, and communities to drive collective action.

Angela’s passion lies in collaborating with likeminded people and organisations to develop activities that focus on the mental health and wellbeing of individuals and families, with the purpose of creating positive, meaningful, and sustainable systems change for the benefit of community and particularly for those disadvantaged as a result of complex, long-term systemic issues.

Jo has 25+ years of leading for-purpose organisations. Over her career, she has raised over $100m leading for-purpose organisations and has distributed more than $400m globally through philanthropic organisations. She knows how hard it is to fundraise, spend and donate money effectively if you want to create transformational change.

This experience has given Jo a deep understanding of the challenges of building resilient organisations focusing on impact and a burning passion for leaders to do their best work AND look after themselves. Jo has designed and led reflective leadership retreats and action learning programs for social change leaders, LGBTQI leaders, young leaders, social entrepreneurs, women, culturally and linguistically diverse leaders, directors and philanthropic leaders nationally and internationally.

Jo is the inaugural CEO of the Siddle Family Foundation, a non-executive director of the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) and Asthma Australia, the Chair of the Pay What it Takes coalition, a Leap Ambassador, an advisor to philanthropic organisations and a range of for-purpose organisations that are starting or deepening in their work. She lives in regional NSW with a partner, a tween and a teenager who keep her engaged and a little bit exhausted.

Jesse Taylor of Mission Australia and Stephen Neale from Community Housing Limited will convene the HOUSING THEME throughout the conference.

Join Jesse and Stephen on day 1 (from 3pm) to draw out the key elements of the theme.  The team will then continue to gather information on the theme throughout the conference leading to the preparation of a communique at the end of the conference.

Got something to say about housing?  Don’t miss this one.

Can a creative process enable stronger community impact?  Does it only assist at the engagement side of things or is there a whole lot more that creative industries can do to support impact in the regions.

As the Executive Director of Arts Mid North Coast Olivia Parker is well placed to carry this theme through the conference.

Liz Jeremy is an expert in local government, governance, engagement, sustainability and resilience with decades of experience working across rural, regional, and metropolitan settings, understanding community priorities and ensuring excellence in engagement and service delivery.

Liz has led local government service delivery in an environment that is both prized for its natural biodiversity and highly vulnerable to frequent, major natural disasters (more than 12 in 10 years). She has a unique understanding of the spectrum of collaboration, planning and operational activity needed to ensure readiness in critical service delivery during times of crisis.

In 2022, Liz’s council was recognised by the sector for its engagement leadership with a national award for the Shire’s pandemic response.

Beth has worked as a physiotherapist (generalist, disability & aged care sectors) and in public health and research. Her doctoral studies developed a framework on which to build incidental physical activity of people with chronic health conditions and develop self-belief in positive health behaviour. Interested in how knowledge is transferred at key life stage transition points, Beth advocates to build resilience, promote mental health and shift systems to consider wellbeing, positioning the person at the centre of planning and action. Her attention is drawn to helping people navigate through the various systems in which they live and work.

As a Community Advocate Beth is a member of various groups including

• Advisory Groups with the Mid North Coast Local Health District (Local Health Advisory Council, Mental Health, Zero Suicides in Care working group, Falls Prevention and Complex Care)
• NSW Branch of Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) Mental Health group
• North Coast Allied Health Association.
• Kempsey Disability Inclusion committee

Beth has an interest in the protective value offered by having connections to community and where possible to influence behaviour by improving the connection and sense of belonging.

Youth Futures Theme Convenors

Futures Isle exists to support people, communities and organisations to find the next step on their journey.

We partner with organisations, projects and initiatives that share our values and have meaningful impact. We are facilitators, program managers/developers and consultants.

Most importantly though, we love people and places and want to see them shine.

Talitha ‘Taz’ Devadass

Taz lives and breathes futures. As one of Australia’s first Entrepreneurship Facilitators from 2017-2020, she mentored over 800 people to support them finding potential pathways for empowered futures and is thrilled to see so many participants’ businesses still thriving.

She believes in community development through the sharing of ideas, transfer of skills and relationship-driven collaboration. Taz’s dynamic approach was recognised when she was awarded 2018 ABC Trailblazer, 2018 Foundation for Young Australians: Young Social Pioneer and 2019 Telstra Business Women’s Awards: Emerging Leader Tasmania.

At her core, Taz is the ideas queen; she dreams audacious dreams and questions the status quo to achieve the best outcome, and refuses to settle for anything less.

She has also collected over 350 board games and also makes the best road trip playlists.

Emilee Rigby

Em loves impact. She has a background as a commercial specialist, providing high-level procurement strategy advice during her time at the Department of Defence. This role also saw her travelling (nationally and internationally) to deliver bespoke training courses, resulting in over 1200 commercial and project management professionals trained in contracting methodology. Her determination and facilitation skill in delivering these programs saw her recognised as Leader of the Future at International Association for Contract and Commercial Management’s 2018 Australasia Conference. (She’s still the most proud of being named Deloraine Drama Festival’s Most Promising Actor 2008).

Em’s strategic experience makes her your girl when it comes to implementation; she has the ability to comprehensively plan for successful outcomes, spot problems and logic flaws during concept ideation, and then report on these outcomes. Plus, she loves talking all things contracts!

Jo has 25+ years of leading for-purpose organisations. Over her career, she has raised over $100m leading for-purpose organisations and has distributed more than $400m globally through philanthropic organisations. She knows how hard it is to fundraise, spend and donate money effectively if you want to create transformational change.

This experience has given Jo a deep understanding of the challenges of building resilient organisations focusing on impact and a burning passion for leaders to do their best work AND look after themselves. Jo has designed and led reflective leadership retreats and action learning programs for social change leaders, LGBTQI leaders, young leaders, social entrepreneurs, women, culturally and linguistically diverse leaders, directors and philanthropic leaders nationally and internationally.

Jo is the inaugural CEO of the Siddle Family Foundation, a non-executive director of the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) and Asthma Australia, the Chair of the Pay What it Takes coalition, a Leap Ambassador, an advisor to philanthropic organisations and a range of for-purpose organisations that are starting or deepening in their work. She lives in regional NSW with a partner, a tween and a teenager who keep her engaged and a little bit exhausted.

Liz Keen has worked in the audio space for over 20 years and has developed a number of award winning podcasts including Still Jill  The Long Haul and After the Disaster. She’s worked at the ABC and with Mamamia and taught podcasting at The University of Sydney and Southern Cross University. Currently she’s the Audio Executive Producer with regionally based media company, Headline Productions.

Tom Dawkins has an impressive social enterprise background. He is the Co-founder/CEO of innovation for good catalyst StartSomeGood.

StartSomeGood helps people design and launch social enterprises and impact projects.

Tom is a speaker, mentor, coach and advocate for social impact business.

Teddy started their career in performing arts, working in arts education and independent live performance-making. Having taken a non-traditional education pathway, Teddy is passionate about alternative education and celebrates the transferrable skills that emerge from typically undervalued places. This drew them to working in a variety of roles in the VET sector, Higher Education and private training organisations before the urge for adventure led them to accept a project developing and delivering a youth performing arts summer program in Shanghai in 2017.

After returning home to Perth in 2018, they began exploring work in the for-purpose sector. Completing a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact in 2019, they went on to join the Impact Team at Anglicare WA where they gained a deep understanding of outcomes measurement in a complex service-delivery environment. Moving to Sydney in 2022, Teddy now works for The Siddle Family Foundation and feels exceptionally privileged to grapple with new ways of making impact and understanding the role of philanthropy as a mechanism for change.

Former board member of TransFolk of WA and Umbrella Works Inc, Teddy feels strongly about the vital role of grassroots community organisations. They are a skilled facilitator and love working with organisations to articulate their values, strategy and impact in ways that are meaningful and operational. Proudly queer, trans and neurodivergent, Teddy is an advocate for diverse, safe and values-led workplaces. They are a partner, a step-parent, a coffee snob and an enthusiastic home cook who is incapable of accurately predicting how long until dinner is ready.

Cherie Topfer  |  Pitch Tutorial Presenter

Cherie Topfer, the visionary Founding Director of YEP Careers Pty Ltd, is an advocate for unlocking communities’ entrepreneurial potential. Collaborating with governments, businesses, and local organizations, she ignites the entrepreneurial spirit in individuals. With a history of strategic roles across HR, Education, and Real Estate, Cherie brings over 30 years of expertise to her mission.

Cherie’s brainchild, YEP Careers, offers tailored training programs that foster entrepreneurship at all levels. Collaborations with NSW and Australian Federal Governments, along with entities like Serco and local chambers of commerce, highlight her impact. Her knack for simplifying complexity, problem-solving, and inspiring growth has led to these training programs benefiting diverse professionals.

Cherie envisions a future where youth employment thrives through innovation. Her past success in establishing a HR consultancy, coupled with her leadership nominations, showcases her prowess. With a legacy of serving in non-profit boards and peak organizations, she remains dedicated to driving social and economic progress. Cherie Topfer is a true changemaker, driving empowerment, entrepreneurship, and lasting success.

Pitchfest Panel

Following a successful corporate career, Lynn transitioned to the non-profit sector and has now spent over a decade in senior roles across a number of well regarded, highly impactful purpose driven organisations.

Pitchfest Panel and Day 1 Speaker

Jay Boolkin is a passionate social entrepreneur with a diverse background in international development, philanthropy, and social enterprise. As a former Strategy Advisor at Spark Strategy and co-lead of Social Impact & Partnerships at Seventh Street Ventures, Jay has dedicated his career to advancing the impact economy.

Previously running Scaling Impact, the Social Impact Hub’s impact investment readiness accelerator, Jay now takes on the role of Collaboration Manager where he is responsible for building relationships and initiatives with key stakeholders, identifying collaboration opportunities, and delivering projects for the benefit of the impact ecosystem.

Recognising the need for better sector connectivity, Jay co-founded Social Change Central, Australia’s only opportunities portal for social enterprises, which reaches over 10,000 people monthly. He also serves as board member of the Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA), the sector-led peak body for social enterprise across NSW and the ACT.

Jay has been an Australian Youth Ambassador for Development and was selected as a 2015 Myer Innovation Fellow, one of Australia’s top 50 young social entrepreneurs by the Foundation for Young Australians, and the Young Entrepreneur Finalist in the Sydney SHINE Awards. He blogs at Social Good Stuff, which is consistently included as one of the “20 Best Social Enterprise Blogs & Websites”. Jay holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a double major in Marketing and Management, a Graduate Diploma in Project Management and a Masters in International Development.

Jo has 25+ years of leading for-purpose organisations. Over her career, she has raised over $100m leading for-purpose organisations and has distributed more than $400m globally through philanthropic organisations. She knows how hard it is to fundraise, spend and donate money effectively if you want to create transformational change.

This experience has given Jo a deep understanding of the challenges of building resilient organisations focusing on impact and a burning passion for leaders to do their best work AND look after themselves. Jo has designed and led reflective leadership retreats and action learning programs for social change leaders, LGBTQI leaders, young leaders, social entrepreneurs, women, culturally and linguistically diverse leaders, directors and philanthropic leaders nationally and internationally.

Jo is the inaugural CEO of the Siddle Family Foundation, a non-executive director of the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) and Asthma Australia, the Chair of the Pay What it Takes coalition, a Leap Ambassador, an advisor to philanthropic organisations and a range of for-purpose organisations that are starting or deepening in their work. She lives in regional NSW with a partner, a tween and a teenager who keep her engaged and a little bit exhausted.

Anita has a strong background in social change, particularly through advocacy, campaigning and community organising across a range of social justice and community service areas. She is currently Community Organising director at the Centre for Australian Progress, building the capacity of civil society for systems change, following five years running her own advocacy and campaigning consultancy supporting NGOs to bring about social change. Her other experience includes more than a decade at Cancer Council NSW where she led the transformation of its advocacy work, and senior roles in the Community Services Commission and the Social Issues Committee of the NSW Legislative Council.

Anita has completed the Leadership, Organizing and Action: Leading Change program through Harvard University, and the Stanford Executive Program for Non-Profit Leaders. Anita has served on the Boards of the Council for Intellectual Disability NSW, the Intellectual Disability Rights Service, the Centre for Australian Progress and Democracy in Colour, a racial justice campaigning organisation, and is currently Co-Chair of CHOICE, the consumer rights association.

She is passionate about community led social change, particularly for communities that are subject to oppression.

Emma is driven by her purpose to support locally elected leaders and their communities to solve problems together to achieve better outcomes for all.  As a qualified mediator and recovering lawyer with over 20 years of experience in the local government industry and regional issues, Emma brings an incredible ability to listen to and understand people.

Emma is known for her dynamic and down-to-earth engagement style, and is adept at designing and structuring engagement processes that support deep conversation, tackle tough topics or involve high levels of conflict. As a child, Emma’s family travelled around Australia on a double-decker bus. This experience was perhaps the beginning of Emma’s passion for regional Australia.

Tom Dawkins has an impressive social enterprise background. He is the Co-founder/CEO of innovation for good catalyst StartSomeGood.

StartSomeGood helps people design and launch social enterprises and impact projects.

Tom is a speaker, mentor, coach and advocate for social impact business.

Five years, five states, one hundred and fifty schools, and raising $150,000 advocating for health literacy about the most prevalent cancer in young Australians, was the life work of ex-drover, educator, mother of three and social entrepreneur Maura Luxford.

Fired by the death of her eldest daughter Hannah she  brought to life Hannah’s two dreams – ‘telling all her friends to look after their skin and doing something to raise money for research into adolescent melanoma’ – changed the course of Maura’s life.

Creating a social enterprise called ride4acure, Maura trekked the breadth of our nation. Traversing Australia on horses and a pushbike to some of our most rural and remote areas to speak to young people in their communities.

Knowing when to ‘hang up her spurs’ was as critical an aspect of creating a social enterprise, as knowing how to build one.  What were the measurements of success in a social enterprise of this nature and how did she know when to stop?

Blyde is an accomplished HR Consultant and an ICF Accredited Leadership and Team Coach, highly regarded for her expertise in holistic, human-centered leadership and sustainable team performance.

With a strong commitment to nurturing healthy workplace cultures and resilient teams, Blyde empowers purpose-driven businesses by cultivating leadership skills that enable teams to internalise organisational purpose and translate it into meaningful action for greater social impact.

Kinne is the Centre Manager of the CUC Macleay Valley, a Centre where the community is empowered to access higher education in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Kinne is also a Councillor on the Kempsey Shire Council, where she brings a passion for community development and connection. Kinne brings her values in equity, kindness and resilience to shaping a better future for the Macleay Valley for all, so they have a place to thrive.

Kinne has a Bachelor of Business and has worked in higher education for almost 10 years. She is now undertaking a Graduate Certificate in Equity and Inclusion.

Nicole works as a consultant, coach, and facilitator with leaders, teams, and organisations across Australia. She has mentored, coached and trained people in strengths-based practice for over 20 years. She has led and influenced teams from 3 to over 3000 staff in for-purpose and human services across Public, Private and Non-Profit Sectors. Nicole is especially energised when helping individuals, teams, and organisations articulate and put into practice what is most meaningful and important to them.

Her 25+ years of experience and expertise spans varying roles including; Director & Senior Consultant, Program Manager, Senior Policy & Project Officer, Human Resources Manager, Case Manager (Community Aged Care, Disability Services), University Academic, strategic learning and development, workplace training and development, coaching and facilitation, and community development.

Nicole is a life-long learner and holds a bunch of serious sounding formal qualifications as well as a very handy toolbox of practical skills. She is a Gallup-certified Strengths coach and enjoys bringing all her learning and experience to the clients and communities she works with. Nicole is the Chair of Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF) and immensely proud of the work the organisation does.

Kylie Flament is a social enterprise leader and sustainability expert with a background in managing large teams and projects in the corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors. She managed the cardiac department at both children’s hospitals in Sydney before becoming the CEO of Green Connect, a circular economy, fair food and employment social enterprise, for five years. She currently holds multiple positions including CEO of the Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT, and an Expert in Residence at the University of Wollongong. Kylie brings valuable knowledge and experience in promoting sustainable business practices and building strong communities through social enterprise.

Professor Jack Beetson is a Ngemba Aboriginal man from western NSW who has been actively involved in Indigenous education in Australia and internationally for over 30 years. He is not an academic researcher and does not have a track record in the academic sense.  However, since April 2009, he has held an Adjunct Professor appointment with the Australian Centre for Agriculture and Law.  This appointment came about in recognition of the contribution he has made to the university and in other areas to the development of policies and programs for Aboriginal development.

Professor Beetson’s experience in a leadership and advisory role include:

• Interim Chair, National Aboriginal Environment Trust, 2008-2009
• Member, Northern Rivers Catchments Management Authority, 2004-2008
• NSW Commission for Children and Young People
• Member, Expert Advisory Panel, 2004-2007
• Member, Child Death Review Committee,  2007-2009
• Member, Australian National Training Authority Indigenous Advisory Council 1993-2000
• Director and Foundation President, Federation of Independent Aboriginal Educational Providers, 1994-2000
• Member, Council of Southern Cross University 1996-1998
• Member, Sydney ATSIC Regional Council 1993-1998
• Member, MCEETYA Task Force on Aboriginal Education 1995-1997
• Member, Council of University of Technology Sydney, 1993-1996
• Member, Executive Committee, Adult Learning Australia 1991-1994

OUR MC

Andy Saunders

Comedian Andy Saunders believes the best way to make the world a better place is through laughter.
With an extraordinary ability to use humour to break down barriers and stereotypes as well as provoke thought, he is a talented MC and entertainer who will grab your audience’s attention from the moment he walks onto the stage.
Andy Saunders has been telling jokes in front of audiences ever since he can remember… he was always destined to make people laugh.
Having become of Australia’s most popular and successful acts, Andy Saunders has performed and hosted events around the country at a variety of events and venues including the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Deadly Funny; Adelaide Fringe Festival Aboriginal Comedy All Stars, ABC Comedy Up Late TV and Up Early TV. Andy Saunders appeared on Channel Ten’s Oxfam Gala TV and at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Channel 10 TV appearance 30th Birthday Big Bash in 2016.
Andy Saunders takes satire to new heights. His trenchant observations of human behavior and sharp material, combined with skills in attracting and holding the attention of audiences of all ages are a powerful combination.

Rebel Black is driven by a profound mission: to thrive, heal, and evolve and inspire others to do the same. With her background as a human agronomist and a pioneering syntrophic entrepreneur, she has made a significant impact in the world.

The foundation of her work lies in THE RW Collection, a socially conscious company she founded. Operating from her office in the opal fields of Lightning Ridge, Outback NSW, Rebel focuses on incubating enterprises that activate and prioritise community wealth building and empowering legacy.

Rebel spearheaded a ground breaking “community exit” when her company was acquired by THE Rural Woman Cooperative—an extraordinary endeavour devoted to uplifting rural women and girls. As a true trailblazer, Rebel’s exceptional contributions to the advancement of rural women, small business and the integration of technology in enterprises have earned her esteemed recognition through multiple national and global awards.

Rebel Black is an unstoppable force, blazing a trail of empowerment, opportunity, and inclusive growth. Her unwavering commitment to thriving communities and her dedication to the evolution of individuals and societies make her a captivating speaker who inspires and transforms lives.

As the Executive Director of Arts Mid North Coast, Olivia is responsible for driving the organisation’s strategic direction and overseeing its day-to-day operations. Her leadership is marked by a commitment to promoting artistic excellence, nurturing local talent, and fostering meaningful connections between artists, communities, and stakeholders. Olivia’s inclusive approach ensures that Arts Mid North Coast remains at the forefront of regional arts development, offering innovative programs and initiatives that reflect the diversity and vibrancy of the Mid North Coast arts scene.

Olivia’s journey in the arts began with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Production and Music Business Management, where she honed her skills in project management and business development. Olivia continued her studies gaining her Master Degree in Arts Management with the University of Technology, Sydney. 

Dr Emma Gentle is a researcher and an art therapist.

Emma completed her PhD (USyd) on the capacity of group art-making processes to form connection. She has a MA in Art Therapy (UWS) where she researched the impact of art therapy on incarcerated young people; and explored identity development through art-making processes.

Emma also completed a MA in Applied Anthropology, Community and Youth Work (GU), with a dissertation on the efficacy of community arts projects in creating individual and social change. She completed under graduate diplomas in both psychology and applied psychology (BU). Emma uses participatory action research (PAR), and multi-modal data collection for a nuanced understanding of both arts programs and creative therapies. Her research examines the capacity of art and creativity to improve mental health and promote wellbeing.

In her practice, she utilises art processes to: 1) cultivate unencumbered expression of difficult feelings; 2) tell story; 3) increase connection; 4) reduce stigma; and 5) as a creative recovery tool.

B.A. (Art History), Dip.Ed. (Visual Arts), M.A. (Art Therapy)

After studies in Art History and education, Marg travelled to Nepal and India, visiting monasteries, meditation centres, seeking teachers and participating in retreats. She then spent some years in introspection living in the bush in Tasmania. This time, surrounded by trees and with the earth beneath her, still informs her life and her work. Quietly in the forest Marg engaged in the great adventure of self-knowledge and inner healing. She then pursued studies in Art Therapy, completing her Master’s Degree in 2001. She uses guided art making and awareness to support communities, groups, families, children and individuals to find their way gently, kindly and creatively to knowing themselves. Marg’s clients are held safely and confidently as they participate in their own inner adventures of living with self-care, purpose and vitality.

Marg is an Art therapist, Counsellor and Community Arts Consultant in Private Practice in Coffs Harbour.  She also works as School Counsellor in a local Primary School. Recent Community Arts projects include Black Bird Creative Recovery Project (after the Black Summer bushfires), and You Are Welcome Here project with former refugees. This work hangs in Mission Australia office reception in Coffs Harbour.

Dr Gregory P Smith OAM, is a senior lecture, research fellow and Chair of the Business, Law and Arts Faculty Board at Southern Cross University. He is a consultant to governments, health departments and not for profits on the importance of involving lived experience and expertise in policy and program development.

Dr Smith has lived experience/expertise in child abuse, out-of-home care, juvenile justice, substance abuse/addiction, homelessness, poverty and successful life planning and management.

Dr Smith is a Director for the End Street Sleeping Collaboration which is a New South Wales Premiers Priority Project to halve street sleeping by 2025 and end it be 2030. He is also a Global Consultant for the Institute of Relational Health for CareSource in the USA.

He is the Patron for Signal Flare in Queensland and several not-for-profit organisations addressing some of the needs of the more vulnerable across several states in Australia. He is a founder of Voiceup Australia which provides a safe space for people traumatised as children to speak their truth.

Dr Smith is the author of ‘Out of the forest’ (2018) and ‘Better than Happiness: The True Antidote to Discontent’ (2023) both published by Penguin Random House. He also has a TEDx talk which has had more than 1 million views.

Mitra was born in Malistan, Ghazni province of Afghanistan. During Taliban regime, her family became refugees in Quetta, Pakistan where she graduated from a refugee high school. The patriarchal society that considered educating a girl was a waste of money caused her to go through a very hard time while studying and she also lost her father at a very young age and later her mother. Despite all the challenges, Mitra succeeded to graduate from high school and later received a full scholarship at Asian University for Women and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) and a minor in Development Studies.

Mitra’s professional life started in 2010 when she got a job at the Ministry of Higher Education hired by World Bank and soon after graduation, she worked for the United Nations Human Settlements Programs till August 2021. On the 15^th of August Taliban took over the country then she was evacuated to Australia and now is working at the Department of Planning and Environment NSW.

Mitra’s impressive career includes achievements such as Program Officer and Monitoring & Reporting Officer at United Nations Human Settlements Programs, Technical Officer of Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Higher Education hired by the World Bank, Founder and president of Youth’s Green Movement organization, Founder and president of Kabul International Model United Nations Conference, Founder and president of Bamyan Model United Nations Conference, Secretary General Green International Model United Nations Conference, Developed proposal for a three-level gym for Afghan women (2.8m not funded), water scarcity in three regions of Kabul (funded by BRAC), and two monthly women empowerment workshop (funded by Asian University for Women), Guest Speaker at American Corner Chittagong, Bangladesh, Kabul Global People’s Hub, Graduation Ceremony of Malistan, and 8 March at UNICEF Kabul, Afghanistan.

One of Mitra’s greatest passions is to inspire girls to motivate them to dream big and fight back against the patriarchal society to convert their dreams into reality.

Dr. Madeleine Lawler has a background in executive and senior management roles within local government, health service management, organisational improvement consulting and academia.

Her professional motivation is to work collaboratively to help communities thrive, working with private, not-for-profit and government organisations to generate great outcomes. She completed her PhD in 2019 studying social enterprises working with young people as a model for social service delivery. She has a keen interest in organisational improvement and quality management gained in her consulting career in the UK and Australia.

Leanne Butterworth, Empathy Educator, TEDx Speaker and Social Entrepreneur, is dedicated to creating happier, healthier communities through memorable, accessible Empathy Training. As the founder of certified social enterprise Empathy First and a lecturer at QUT, Leanne actively contributes to the startup, mental health, and social enterprise communities. She is a Social Impact Fellow, a George Alexander Foundation Scholar and won the 2023 Women Changing the World Social Enterprise People’s Choice Award. Leanne believes that empathetic leadership is not a luxury but a business imperative. Her unwavering dynamism and dedication fuel her mission to foster compassionate environments where healthy empathy thrives.

Empathy First is a certified social enterprise offering online empathy training, individual coaching, corporate workshops and consulting, The Professional Empathy Podcast and now The Empathy First Store!

Sam is a proud Blackfulla who grew up in Glebe, Sydney (Gadidal Country).  Sam is the Managing Director at Impact Policy which provides engagement, communication and research and evaluation services.

Sam shares his lived experience around childhood trauma, social disadvantage, homelessness, out of home care and impacts of forced child removal policies. These perspectives were also shaped through academic education and professional experience leading high profile and sensitive state wide projects for NSW Government.

Sam graduated from UNSW with honours in Social Science, majoring in Criminology and completed Masters of Teaching studies.

Sam is a father of five who lives his values outside Impact Policy through Spark Impact, a scholarship program of a collection of Aboriginal owned businesses reinvesting funding and resources into the provision of youth scholarships for Aboriginal young people from Sydney.

Sam is particularly passionate about co-design with communities and stakeholders when the core principles are present to inform the planning, design and delivery of services, policy and projects.

Ryan Martin began his career on the Gold Coast and after a decade of work in this space which included a stint as Head of Senior School at St Andrews Lutheran College he moved north to take up the role of Principal at Batchelor Area School in the Northern Territory and was recognised for his work by being awarded the Northern Territory Principal of the Year. Although this was great recognition for his role in transforming one of Australia’s toughest schools his proven track record in school data analysis, behaviour management, staff wellbeing, leadership and coaching is widely recognised. Ryan’s determined focus on improving teacher practice has resulted in significantly altering the trajectory of students from highly complex and disadvantaged backgrounds.

He has travelled nationally and internationally investigating educational systems and presented key note presentations around topics such as staff wellbeing, behaviour management and creating sustainable learning cultures.

His current position as Principal at Macleay Vocational College, allows him to combine his passion for Indigenous education, improving teacher practice and changing the trajectory of students who are at risk of disengaging from education.

Bree Katsamangos is a qualified and experienced Social Impact Practitioner, Collective Impact Leader and Accredited Partnership Broker who is passionate about building capacity in rural, regional and remote communities for place-based systems change.

Bree is a Program Manager with Mission Australia; the Convener of Mid Coast 4 Kids; and the Principle Consultant for InsideOut Communities.

Bree holds an Honours Degree in Social Science from Southern Cross University and a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact from UNSW as well as qualifications in management and training. Bree has a track record for brokering social impact partnerships of local and national significance and is keen to share her knowledge on the challenges and opportunities of achieving social impact in the regions.

Kieren has extensive experience in business, including 18 years founding and running his own business, Majestic Cinemas, which has operated in Port Macquarie since 2006 and has 7 other sites.  Kieren has almost 35 years experience in financial services at senior and CEO level, including running 2 industry bodies.  He was also Chair of Regional Development Australia Mid North Coast, President of Independent Cinemas Australia for 7 years and has been Vice-President for the last 6 years. Kieren also has extensive Board experience in the private sector and in industry bodies.  He was recently appointed to the Town Centre Master Plan Sub-Committee in Port Macquarie.

Andrew has spent over 20 years working with young people and in community development and also doesn’t mind belting out tunes at karaoke.  He is currently working as the Strategic Lead for Nambucca and Toormina (NSW) communities.

Andrew’s experience incorporates a range of community development and engagement projects often incorporating creative industries as a mechanism to engage a variety of cohorts.

Becoming U the program has been delivering innovative, agile and impactful place-based, co-designed, youth-focused, youth and community-driven community collaboration projects in the Nambucca Valley for the past 4 year and more recently in Toormina.

David Mackay is the Deputy Secretary for Regional, Cities, and Territories in the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, after serving as First Assistant Secretary of Infrastructure Investment Division, and, earlier, of Cities Division. Before joining the Department, David held division and branch head roles across the Australian public sector, in the Attorney-General’s Department, the Department of Finance (where he was responsible for Budget coordination and policy), and the Department of Health (in health system and funding reform, and in youth mental health and suicide prevention).

Between 2015 and 2017, David accompanied his wife on a DFAT posting to New Zealand. While there, he joined the New Zealand Treasury, and led the division responsible for growth and public services. In this role, he was also a member of the New Zealand Cabinet’s Officials Committee on Economic Growth and Infrastructure. On returning to Australia, David served as a member of the leadership team in McKinsey & Company’s public sector practice.

David is a graduate of the University of Sydney and Monash University, and is an alumnus of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government’s Executive Fellows Program.

Stephanie Sims is an experienced project manager, fundraiser, speaker, facilitator and teacher with over 35 years working in the Creative Industries (Advertising, Publishing, the Arts).

Stephanie has worked with a number of prestigious arts companies in Sydney, including Bell Shakespeare, Museum of Contemporary Art, Bundanon Trust, Sydney Opera House, and Bangarra Dance Theatre as well as running her own fundraising consultancy.

She relocated to Coffs Harbour in 2006 and has worked with Arts Mid North Coast, co-founded Saltwater Freshwater Arts and Film Outreach Australia, and spearheaded the saving of the Sawtell Cinema.

Stephanie created Uko Ono to spread joy through the humble ukulele. She teaches over 100 students, ranging from five years to 90; runs the Sawtell Ukulele Group which regularly performs at aged care centres and community events; and takes her ‘Uke Squads’ into segments of the community where people are feeling isolated and disconnected.

Stephanie successfully campaigned for the Musicians in Hospitals project through the My Community grant process in 2019 and is currently working as Project Coordinator and as a musician on the program at the Coffs Harbour Health Campus.

She is a board member of Arts Mid North Coast.

Pitchfest Panel and Day 1 Speaker

Jay Boolkin is a passionate social entrepreneur with a diverse background in international development, philanthropy, and social enterprise. As a former Strategy Advisor at Spark Strategy and co-lead of Social Impact & Partnerships at Seventh Street Ventures, Jay has dedicated his career to advancing the impact economy.

Previously running Scaling Impact, the Social Impact Hub’s impact investment readiness accelerator, Jay now takes on the role of Collaboration Manager where he is responsible for building relationships and initiatives with key stakeholders, identifying collaboration opportunities, and delivering projects for the benefit of the impact ecosystem.

Recognising the need for better sector connectivity, Jay co-founded Social Change Central, Australia’s only opportunities portal for social enterprises, which reaches over 10,000 people monthly. He also serves as board member of the Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA), the sector-led peak body for social enterprise across NSW and the ACT.

Jay has been an Australian Youth Ambassador for Development and was selected as a 2015 Myer Innovation Fellow, one of Australia’s top 50 young social entrepreneurs by the Foundation for Young Australians, and the Young Entrepreneur Finalist in the Sydney SHINE Awards. He blogs at Social Good Stuff, which is consistently included as one of the “20 Best Social Enterprise Blogs & Websites”. Jay holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a double major in Marketing and Management, a Graduate Diploma in Project Management and a Masters in International Development.

With a background in health & wellness, Lily has specialised in trauma recovery for women and young people for more than 2 decades. A self confessed loud mouth, unafraid of tackling the tough topics, she has travelled Australia wide, educating parents & services about better ways to have impactful, insightful, brave conversations.

With frontline career experience spanning domestic & sexual violence, youth, criminal justice and addiction, Lily is critically aware of the dangers of compassion fatigue, boundary blurring and burn out. A Tedx speaker and International Women’s Day Woman of the Year (Coffs Coast), Lily is known for challenging us to examine the ways in which we work, and the impact that has on how we live, love, parent and play.

Blyde is an accomplished HR Consultant and an ICF Accredited Leadership and Team Coach, highly regarded for her expertise in holistic, human-centered leadership and sustainable team performance.

With a strong commitment to nurturing healthy workplace cultures and resilient teams, Blyde empowers purpose-driven businesses by cultivating leadership skills that enable teams to internalise organisational purpose and translate it into meaningful action for greater social impact.

Leanne Butterworth, Empathy Educator, TEDx Speaker and Social Entrepreneur, is dedicated to creating happier, healthier communities through memorable, accessible Empathy Training. As the founder of certified social enterprise Empathy First and a lecturer at QUT, Leanne actively contributes to the startup, mental health, and social enterprise communities. She is a Social Impact Fellow, a George Alexander Foundation Scholar and won the 2023 Women Changing the World Social Enterprise People’s Choice Award. Leanne believes that empathetic leadership is not a luxury but a business imperative. Her unwavering dynamism and dedication fuel her mission to foster compassionate environments where healthy empathy thrives.

Empathy First is a certified social enterprise offering online empathy training, individual coaching, corporate workshops and consulting, The Professional Empathy Podcast and now The Empathy First Store!

Manfred is the Head of Portfolio Management at Sefa providing access to social finance in the form of direct lending, co investment opportunities, blended deals and syndicate structures.

Manfred has over 12 years’ experience in sustainable development, financial innovation, and multilateral partnerships, with proven track record in business acceleration, impact investing funds creation and deployment, due diligence and deal structuring.

He has been working in the United States, Mexico, Central America, Brazil and Australia, leading projects to regionalize operations, develop internal capacity in hybrid organisations (mix of grant and commercial revenue), nurture and leverage networks regionally, and foster cross sector partnerships to unlock private, public, and philanthropic capital.

He’s passionate about building resilient ecosystems for a more responsible and connected planet and brings a deep understanding of the global impact investment landscape to Sefa.

Manfred has served as a Secretariat Representative for the Central American NAB (PiiC) for The Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG). Manfred holds an MBA in Strategy and Finance, a Master’s in Marketing Communications and a Bachelor in Industrial Engineering.

Gabrielle King is an Engagement Manager at Sefa, providing capability support to purpose driven organisations building organisational resilience across strategy, impact and governance. Gabrielle has extensive experience supporting businesses to become more sustainable across a number of sectors including affordable housing, education and hospitality. She is passionate about advancing gender equity to unlock impact and has worked on several gender focused programs. Gabrielle has served on the Partnership Committee of the Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA) and holds a Graduate Diploma in Social Impact (UNSW) and a Bachelor Arts/Law (USYD).

Anna has been on the social enterprise frontline for over 10 years, both as a founder and a leader.

Inspired by the transformative impact of economically empowered women, Anna founded Yevu in 2012. Yevu is a for-profit social enterprise, manufacturing and selling its clothes online to a global customer base, whilst economically empowering women in Ghana’s informal sector through fair and sustainable employment opportunities.

Anna has also worked as the Head of Innovation Labs at Affinity Africa, which delivered a patentable prototype for Ghana’s first digital retail bank, and as a Policy Advisor Deputy Lord Mayor at the City of Sydney. Anna now shares her insights and learnings with other founders and their teams as Engagement Manager at Social Enterprise Finance Australia. Dedicated to creating sustainable change for people who are marginalised because of structural inequalities, Anna brings a practitioner’s lens to the Sefa team, supporting social enterprises with strategic and operational direction.